Page 327 of 491
Bef ore you begin driving your
vehicle, you should know what
gasoline to use and how to check the
levels of important f luids. You also
need to know how to properly store
luggage or packages. The
inf ormation in this section will help
you. If you plan to add any
accessories to your vehicle, please
read the information in this section
first..............................
Break-in Period .326
.................
Fuel Recommendation .326
.........
Service Station Procedures .327
.....................................
Ref ueling .327
......
Tighten Fuel Cap Message.329
Opening and Closing
.................................
the Hood .329
....................................
Oil Check .331
..............
Engine Coolant Check.331
...............................
Fuel Economy .332
...
Accessories and Modif ications .333
.............................
Carrying Cargo .335
Bef ore Driving
Bef ore Driving
325
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Page 328 of 491

Help assure your vehicle’s f uture
reliability and perf ormance by paying
extra attention to how you drive
during the f irst 600 miles (1,000 km).
During this period:Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid
acceleration.
Avoidhardbrakingforthefirst
200 miles (300 km).
Do not change the oil until the
scheduled maintenance time.
You should also f ollow these
recommendations with an
overhauled or exchanged engine, or
when the brakes are replaced. Do not tow a trailer. We recommend quality gasolines
containing detergent additives that
help prevent f uel system and engine
deposits.
In addition, in order to maintain good
perf ormance, f uel economy, and
emissions control, we strongly
recommend, in areas where it is
available, the use of gasoline that
does NOT contain manganese-based
f uel additives such as MMT.
Use of gasoline with these additives
may adversely af f ect perf ormance,
and cause the malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel to
come on. If this happens, contact
your authorized dealer f or service.
Your vehicle is designed to operate
on premium unleaded gasoline with a
pump octane of 91 or higher. If this
octane grade is unavailable, regular
unleaded gasoline with a pump
octane of 87 or higher may be used
temporarily. The use of regular
unleaded gasoline can cause metallic
knocking noises in the engine and
will result in decreased engine
perf ormance. The long-term use of
regular-grade gasoline can lead to
engine damage.
Break-in Period
Fuel Recommendation
Break-in Period, Fuel Recommendation
326
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Page 329 of 491

CONTINUED
Park with the driver’s side closest
to the service station pump.
Some
gasoline today is blended with
oxygenates such as ethanol or
MTBE. Your vehicle is designed to
operate on oxygen ated gasoline
containing up to 10% ethanol by
volume and up to 15% MTBE by
volume. Do not use gasoline
containing methanol.
If you notice any undesirable
operating symptoms, try another
service station or switch to another
brand of gasoline.
For further important fuel-related
info rmation, please refer to your
. Open the fuel fill door by pressing
the button on the driver’s door.
(To open the f uel f ill door
manually, see page .)
1.
2.
446
Service Station Procedures
Ref ueling
Quick Start Guide
Bef ore Driving
327
FUEL FILL CAP
FUEL FILL DOOR RELEASE BUTTON
TETHER
Stop the engine, and keep
heat, sparks, and flames
away.
Handle fuel only outdoors.
Wipe up spills immediately.
Gasoline is highly flammable
and explosive. You can be
burned or seriously injured
when handling fuel.
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Page 330 of 491

Remove the fuel fill cap slowly.
You may hear a hissing sound as
pressure inside the tank escapes.
Place the cap in the holder on the
fuel fill door.
Stop filling the tank after the fuel
nozzle automatically clicks off. Do
not try to ‘‘top off’’ the tank. Leave
some room for the fuel to expand
with temperature changes. Screw
the fuel fill cap back on
until it clicks at least once. If you
do not properly tighten the cap,
you will see a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL
CAP’’ message on the multi-
info rmation display (see right
column on this page), and the
malf unction indicator lamp may
also come on (see page ).
Push the f uel f ill door closed until
it latches.
even though the tank is not f ull,
there may be a problem with your
vehicle’s fuel vapor recovery
system. The system helps keep
f uel vapor f rom going into the
atmosphere. Try f illing at another
pump. If this does not f ix the
problem, consult your dealer.
3.
4.
5.
6.
444If the f uel nozzle keeps clicking of f
Service Station Procedures
328
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Page 331 of 491

Park the vehicle, and set the
parking brake. Pull the hood
release lever located under the
lower left corner of the dashboard.
The hood will pop up slightly.
Your
vehicle’s on board diagnostic
system will detect a loose or missing
fuel fill cap as an evaporative system
leak. The first time a leak is detected
a ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP’’ message
appears on the multi-info rmation
display. Turn the engine off, and
confirm the fuel fill cap is installed. If
it is, loosen it, then retighten it until
it clicks at least once. The message
should go off after several days of
normal driving once you tighten or replace
the fuel fill cap. To scroll to
another message, press the INFO
button. The ‘‘TIGHTEN FUEL CAP’’
message will appear each time you
restart the engine until the system
turns the message off.
If the system still detects a leak in
the vehicle’s evaporative emissions
system, the malfunction indicator
lamp (MIL) comes on. If the fuel fill
cap was not already tightened, turn
the engine off, and check or
retighten the fuel fill cap until it
clicks at least once. The MIL should
go off after several days of normal
driving once the cap is tightened or
replaced. If the MIL does not go of f ,
have your vehicle inspected by a
dealer. For more inf ormation, see
page . 1.
444
CONT INUED
Opening and Closing the Hood
Tighten Fuel Cap Message
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
329
HOOD RELEASE LEVER
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Page 332 of 491
Lif t the hood up most of the way.
The hydraulic supports will lif t it
uptherestof thewayandholdit
up.
If the hood latch handle moves
stif f ly, or if you can open the hood
without lifting the handle, the
mechanism should be cleaned and
lubricated. Reach between the hood and the
f ront bumper with your f inger.
Slide the latch handle up. To close the hood, lower the hood to
about a f oot (30 cm) above the
f ender, then f irmly press down on
the f ront edge of the hood. Make
sure it is securely latched.
3.
2.
Service Station Procedures
330
LATCH
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Page 333 of 491
Remove the dipstick again, and
check the level. It should be
between the upper and lower
marks.
If it is near or below the lower
mark, see on
page .
Wait
a few minutes after turning the
engine off before you check the oil.
Remove the dipstick (orange loop).
Wipe the dipstick with a clean
cloth or paper towel.
Insert the dipstick all the way back
into its hole. Look
at the coolant level in the
radiator reserve tank. Make sure it is
between the MAX and MIN lines. If
it is below the MIN line, see on page .
4.
1.
2.
3. 395 398
CONT INUED
Engine Coolant Check
A dding Engine Oil
Oil Check
A dding
Engine Coolant
Service Station Procedures
Bef ore Driving
331
RESERVE TANK
MAX
MIN
LOWER MARK UPPER MARK
DIPSTICK
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Page 334 of 491

Combine several short trips into
one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
usemorefuel.Usethefresh-air
ventilation when possible.
Refer
to
on page for information
about checking other items on your
vehicle. Try
to maintain a constant speed.
Everytimeyouslowdownand
speed up, your vehic le uses extra
fuel. Use cruise control when
appropriate.
Always
maintain your vehicle
according to the maintenance
messages. See (page ).
an underinf lated tire
causes more ‘‘rolling resistance,’’
which uses more f uel.
The build-up of snow or mud on
your vehicle’s underside adds
weight and rolling resistance.
Frequent cleaning helps your f uel
mileage and reduces the chance of
corrosion.
Drive moderately. Rapid
acceleration, abrupt cornering,
and hard braking use more f uel.
Always drive in the highest gear
possible.
388
388For example,
Improving Fuel Economy
Owner’s Maintenance
Checks
Owner’s
Maintenance Checks
Service Station Procedures, Fuel Economy
332
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